Loving the BITE: Easy Peach Honey Jam for Best Ever PB & J

This is the best PB & J you’ll ever eat…really.  Well, maybe it’s not exactly a PB & J, if you want to get technical about it.  It’s more of a CB & J.  Intrigued?

If you like minerals that support good, steady energy levels in your body, real, whole food carbohydrates rather than processed high fructose chemicals, and healthy fats for overall wellness, you should be.

Move over regular ol’ PB & J. Our recipe of the week is full of fruit, organic honey, and delicious cashews.  My favorite sandwich.

Loving the BITE: Easiest Ever Peach Honey Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 box or package low-sugar or no-sugar-added pectin (you can adjust the amount so fruit and honey substituted for sugar using the instructions for your particular brand of pectin)
• 4 Cups pitted and chopped peaches (or any other fruit)
• 1-2 Cup raw honey
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice to preserve color

Instructions: 

1. Clean 3 pint-size Mason jars. No need to sterilize.
2. Prepare the fruit by cutting off leaves, removing pits,  chopping, etc.
3. Place the fruit in a large mixing bowl or food processor.  Add the honey to the fruit.  Mix well and crush with a potato masher OR process slightly in the food processor, leaving whole fruit chunks and not allowing it to get too thin.  Make sure the honey is mixed well.
4. Add the pectin mixture to the fruit.  If using peaches, add the lemon juice.  Stir for three minutes.
5. Pour the resulting mixture into prepared jars, leaving a half-inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Screw on lids.
6. Allow to stand at room temperature for 24 hours, or until thickened.
7. Serve, freeze or refrigerate immediately (this recipe won’t gel quite as thick as commercial or cooked jam – but, it’s plenty thick enough for sandwiches or over plain yogurt – at a fraction of the work).
8. Make your CB & J: Use homemade Cashew Butter (recipe below), Honey Peach Jam and your favorite wholesome bread (or use on top of yogurt, cottage cheese, celery, apples, and more).  When eating a sandwich, I prefer a slice of sourdough.

Comments:

With all the nourishing goodness offered by this sandwich, it’s hard to know where to start and where to end.  This week, I’ll keep it brief so you’ll have extra time to make your fresh jam & nut butter.

First, there’s what you get: Our jam is loaded with antioxidants (like vitamin A), fiber, slow, whole-food carbohydrates with a relatively low glycemic index, and enzymes from the whole fruit and honey.  These nutrients will combat free radicals and oxidative stress built up in your cells, promote healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients, and offer carbohydrates for fuel and energy without too high a level of sugar.

The nut butter provides healthy fats (monounsaturated and omega-3s), protein, vitamins, minerals like energy-promoting copper, and fiber from nuts and flaxseeds/chia.  As a cyclist, you can count on these ingredients to promote healthy hormonal responses to food, heart health, muscle recovery and a reduction in muscle wasting after training, and a reduced cellular inflammation and oxidative stress. 

And then, there’s what you don’t: First, high-fructose-corn-syrup in your sandwich.  Most jellies are loaded with it. Whether it’s better or worse for you than any other processed syrup is besides the point…it’s not good for your body and will promote inflammation and fat storage.  Next, jelly made from fruit juice rather than whole fruits.  This means sugar on top of sugar.

In most commercial nut butters you’ll find added nut oils (isolated oils/fats from nuts tend to be very high in omega 6s, which are antagonists of omega 3 fats), added hydrogenated oils (pro-inflammatory and harmful to overall heart health), and added sugar.

Bonus Recipe: Delicious Fresh Cashew Butter:

Place 16 ounces cashews and 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds or chia seeds (optional) in a food processor and beginning processing.  It may take some time and beware, it’s loud.  Scrape the sides, if needed.  If it seems to dry, add a small amount (1 Tbsp. at a time) avocado, coconut, or olive oil  until at desired consistency. If you like crunchy nut butters, add more cashews to the processed, smooth butter and process as needed.  Place nut butter in clean mason jars or containers and store in the refrigerator.

Just in time for back to school, here’s the best PB & J, or CB & J rather, sandwich ever.  Whole, real foods get an “A” this week while high-fructose-corn-syrup jelly and hydrogenated-sugar-added-peanut-butters fail. This sandwich can work well as a pre-ride snack 1-2 hours before you ride, a good recovery meal afterwards, or your new favorite lunch.  Enjoy!

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body.